Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, has revealed that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari found it difficult to manage the Yorubas.
Lawal disclosed that Buhari wanted to use him to manage the Yorubas after noticing his relationship with President Bola Tinubu and a founding chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande.
In an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, on Monday night, the former SGF said despite trying to use him, Buhari threw him under the bus but said they later reconciled.
According to Lawal: “Buhari never let me go, he threw me under the bus but we later became okay. He would call me and we will gist, he will ask me what I think about this and that.
“There was still clearly some sort of human relationship. Somehow there is an unwritten relationship between us and Buhari.
“It seems like it’s because of my relationship with Bola and Bisi Akande that he could use me to manage the Yorubas whom he found difficult to manage and of course I tried my best.”
Buhari appointed Lawal as SGF on August 27, 2015 and he served till October 30, 2017.
Lawal was suspended on April 19, 2017, following a Senate investigation into a contract scandal termed “grass cutting” involving funds intended for the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s Northeast.
Following the investigation, Buhari officially terminated his appointment on October 30, 2017, and replaced him with Boss Mustapha.
The Senate ad-hoc committee accused Lawal of abusing his office and awarding lucrative contracts through the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE, which he led to a company he had a direct interest in, called Global Vision Limited.
The controversial contract included over N500 million meant for clearing invasive grass and weeds along water channels in Yobe State to prevent flooding in vulnerable areas and refugee camps, funds which were allegedly diverted.
Buhari found it difficult to manage Yorubas, threw me under the bus – Babachir Lawal